Salema and Burgau: Fishing Villages Near Lagos

Salema and Burgau are two of the last traditional fishing villages on the western Algarve coast, between Lagos and Sagres. Both have small, sheltered beaches, a relaxed pace and seafood restaurants. Salema even has dinosaur footprints on the rocks.

Quick answer: both villages are about 15 to 25 minutes west of Lagos. In Salema, look for the dinosaur footprints on the rocks at low tide and swim in the sheltered bay. In Burgau, enjoy the cliffside village and its small beach, then walk the clifftop path to Praia da Luz. See places to stay in Salema or in Burgau.

Why go

West of Lagos the big resorts stop and the coast turns quieter. Salema and Burgau have kept their fishing boats, low white houses and small-village feel, and they sit on the edge of the protected Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park. They suit you if you want a beach, a cliff walk and a fish lunch more than bars and water parks.

Salema

• The beach: a gentle bay of just over 1 km, with fishing boats pulled up on the sand in the middle. Ochre cliffs frame each end, and the water is usually calmer than on the west coast.
• Dinosaur footprints: fossilised tracks around 120 million years old, from the Early Cretaceous. The best-known are three-toed prints left by a plant-eating, iguanodon-type dinosaur on a rock shelf at the western end, near the bottom of the stairs. Smaller tracks of theropods, two-legged meat-eaters, show on the rocks at the eastern end. They show best at low tide when the rock is damp. A short set of steps from the clifftop also leads to the shelf. Allow 30 minutes.
• Seafood at the beachside restaurants, often fish landed that morning.
• Nearby coves: Praia da Boca do Rio and Cabanas Velhas, both east of the village. Boca do Rio sits at the mouth of a green valley, and archaeologists have found the remains of a Roman settlement and fish-salting site there.

The village itself is small: white houses and holiday flats climbing the valley behind the slipway, with cafés near the sand. The streets by the beach are flat, which helps with young children.

Burgau

• The village: whitewashed houses on a steep slope above a small beach. The lanes are narrow and hilly, so wear sensible shoes.
• The beach: small and sandy, with boats at the top of the slipway. It fills quickly in summer.
• The coastal walk: a clifftop path east to Praia da Luz, about 5.5 km, taking around one and a half to two hours. There is one steady climb halfway with wide views both ways. See Praia da Luz.
• Calm and quiet: ideal for couples and families.

Forte de Almádena

On the clifftop above Boca do Rio, between the two villages, stand the ruins of the Forte de Almádena. It was built in 1632 to guard the local tuna fishery against pirates, on the site of an older fortification. The 1755 earthquake damaged it and it was abandoned in the 19th century. Today you can walk around the broken walls, about 78 metres above the sea, with views along the coast in both directions. Keep well back from the edge.

Walking between them

Salema to Burgau along the cliffs is about 6.5 km and wilder than the Burgau to Luz section, with Boca do Rio and Cabanas Velhas on the way. The full route from Salema to Praia da Luz is about 12 km, roughly four hours, and forms part of the Fishermen’s Trail. See Algarve hiking.

The path drops steeply into Boca do Rio and climbs out again, so wear proper shoes and carry water, as there is little shade. In summer, start early or walk in the late afternoon.

Getting there

• By car: take the N125 west from Lagos. Burgau is about 15 minutes away and Salema about 20 to 25. Parking in both villages is tight in summer, so use the car parks at the top of each village. From Faro airport, allow about an hour and a quarter on the A22 motorway, which has been toll-free since January 2025, then the N125.
• By bus: buses between Lagos and Sagres stop on or near the main road, a walk down from the beaches. Services are less frequent outside summer, so check times before you set out. See getting around the Algarve.

How long to spend

Each village fills a relaxed half-day. For a full day: morning in Salema to see the footprints and swim, lunch by the beach, then drive or take the bus to Burgau and walk the cliff path to Praia da Luz in the afternoon. Or stay a few nights and use them as a quiet base for Lagos and Sagres.

Food

• Grilled fish: sea bream, sea bass and sardines in summer. See Portuguese sardines.
• Octopus: a speciality along this coast, grilled or in rice.
• Cataplana: the Algarve’s seafood stew, cooked in a copper pan.

Nearby

• Lagos: see things to do in Lagos.
• Sagres: see Sagres.
• The wider area: see Lagos and the western Algarve.

When to go

May, June and September are the sweet spot, with warm weather and space on the sand. July and August are busy. In winter many restaurants close or shorten their hours, but the walks are lovely.

Tips

• A car is useful, though buses run along the main road.
• Tides: check them before hunting for footprints or walking round rocks.
• Quiet evenings: for nightlife, head to Lagos.

FAQ

Where are the dinosaur footprints at Salema?

The clearest prints are on a flat rock shelf at the western end of the beach, near the bottom of the stairs. Go at low tide, when the rock is exposed and damp.

Can you walk from Salema to Burgau?

Yes. The clifftop path is about 6.5 km, passing Boca do Rio and the Forte de Almádena, and it is part of the Fishermen’s Trail stage from Salema to Praia da Luz.

Salema or Burgau: which is better?

Salema has the bigger beach and a flatter village, which suits families. Burgau is smaller and steeper, with a lovely walk to Praia da Luz on the doorstep.

Can you visit without a car?

Yes, but plan ahead. Buses between Lagos and Sagres stop near both villages, with fewer services outside summer and at weekends.

More: the best Algarve villages and where to stay in the Algarve.

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